Posts Tagged ‘Commercial Cleaning in Richfield MN’

Many people struggle to understand what janitorial services do for residential and commercial customers, but it is actually very easy to explain. These services can actually offer a whole range of different things to customers, with most of the work that is done actually depending on the needs and wants of the customer. Some homeowners use these service providers to keep their windows clean, whereas others use them to keep their floors polished, whereas others may use them for a full range of maintenance services. The most extreme packages include full building maintenance, where the external janitorial team will take steps to ensure that they are completely on top of all of the maintenance needs at that property, including monitoring and anticipating future risks which may occur.

That is why we do and offer Apartment Cleaning Services in Richfield MN area!

Janitorial Services also take the time to arrange a schedule that fits in with the needs of the customer. Sometimes they are required to attend every single day, and sometimes they are only required to attend a few times per month. These service providers are also flexible about what time they will attend during the day (or night).

This flexibility can help to make them even more appealing to customers, who may want to get services early in the morning, later in the evening, or even during the night, when no one will be around to inhibit the performance of the janitors.

Janitorial Services - How to Hire a Quality Cleaning Service

Many company owners, looking to save a few dollars, will attempt to tackle every one of the issues from the office on their own, such as the maintenance and cleaning. Exactly why pay anyone to do something that you can do yourself? Well, there are lots of answers to that query. All of them indicate the truth that even during a down economy it may be very reasonable and incredibly beneficial to use outsourcing for such things as a janitorial service along with other tasks not immediately associated with the running of one's business.Your Time And Energy is ValuableWhile you or someone on your own staff could carry out the workplace cleaning-scrubbing the lavatories, disposing of all of the trash, attempting to keep the windows and also break room clean-the fact is that your precious time is valuable which means the time of your workers is valuable for you when it comes to the things they can produce. You can generate a lot more profit working exclusively to enhance your company than you are able to by spending too much time attempting to keep up with the office cleanliness. You focus on being the very best and most effective for your kind of business and janitorial companies concentrate on being the very best and most effective in carrying out a janitorial service. They are able to get and keep your workplace thoroughly clean faster than you can, which usually helps you save cash in big picture. Outsourcing implies sticking with your specific specialty rather than spreading your own resources too thin. Both you and your team have the freedom to build up your product or service, your current relationships together with clients, etc rather than spending time with a stick sprucing up the tile grout! A Janitorial Service Understands the Cleaning Process Much BetterWhile you or your personnel might think you understand the easiest method to maintain and clean the office, a janitorial service specializes in this procedure having tested out the actual correct cleaning items and cleaning routines. It can save you yourself from worry, understanding that the specialists are currently taking good care of your facility. Additionally if you're unsatisfied with the level of quality of a particular service it's much simpler to locate a new service as compared to it could be to fire an in-house worker whose overall performance isn't living up to all your cleaning standards. Make Big Savings for Your Business TargetsWe've already proven that it doesn't make a lot of sense with regard to you carrying out the office cleaning on your own, but how about employing a number of full or part-time employees to deal with the janitorial service? Won't this result in costing you less over hiring out the actual facilities routine maintenance? The truth is, you'll be spending more cash on workers who offer you no substantial advantage of your primary business aims.With a janitorial service, you only pay for your office cleaning fees. Keeping your own personal janitors means spending money on health and retirement rewards, along with holiday as well as sick-pay time. Contracting out these requirements makes a lot more sense monetarily now as well as in the future.

Janitors are able to carry out work both inside and outside the property, so long as the property that they are attending to is owned or rented by the client. Being able to do both indoor and outdoor work means that they are able to provide a joined up service, to ensure that clients do not need to hire two separate teams of people. When janitors are hired for a package such as this, it is much easier for them to coordinate their efforts, so that the whole area meets your exacting standards.

A janitorial cleaning service is one of the best businesses for a hardworking, blue collar person to start from scratch. Every business and every building needs to be cleaned once in awhile - in some cases, many times each day. With the overhead involved with hiring employees to provide janitorial services, it is convenient for a company to outsource to a commercial janitorial service provider.This is where you step in!If you are reading this article, you are probably looking for advice on how to start a janitorial service. Hopefully the following information and advice will get you moving in the right direction.Start Up Costs and Financing Sources:$500 and upIt is possible to get started with almost no investment, but you will be in a much better position if you have a few hundred dollars of basic equipment available. Equipment for a full-scale commercial janitorial service may run many thousands of dollars.Writing a sound business plan describing how to start a janitorial service in your area - including detailed market research and plans for future growth - may help you to secure some of your initial funding from venture capitalists or angel investors.Pricing Guidelines for Service:Base your time at $20 to $50 per hour (before taxes and expenses) and price your services according to the time you expect to spend on each task.Itemize the exact services you intend to provide. Charging by the hour tends to make clients comfortable asking you to do more and more work for the same money. Be clear that you provide certain services for a certain price. By charging a flat fee, you will continually earn a better hourly rate as you improve and become more efficient. Advertising and Marketing:Get listed in the yellow pages under all of the main services you provide. This is more expensive than one general listing, but you can't expect all of your potential clients to look under "Janitorial Services" when they are really looking for "Window Cleaners".Face-to-face selling can go either way. Some managers and store owners like the fortitude of this very direct way of marketing, but others find it very annoying - especially if they get a lot of people coming in and asking to wash the windows. Always obey "No Soliciting" signs.Walk around town and identify businesses which look like they really need your help. Send a professional-looking brochure to the general manager.Essential Equipment:A janitorial cleaning service can start very small and build up as it grows more popular. It is sometimes possible to start out by using the equipment of the client companies, buying your own equipment with that revenue.Get a unique uniform - and unique does not mean outrageous! A uniform looks much more professional than jeans, and it can provide a marketing service for you, as well. When people recognize your janitorial cleaning service working at the company down the street, it lends credibility to you when you approach them for a contract.Much of the following equipment will become useful as your business expands:Safety Equipment: dust mask safety goggles heat resistant gloves heat resistant apron slip resistant, steel toe shoes hard hat General Supplies: dust mop, brooms, and dust pans vacuum cleaner window squeegee and buckets wet mop and bucket scrub brushes towels, lots of towels window cleaning solution degreaser solution carpet cleaning solution plunger drain "snake" basic tool set: hammer, screwdrivers, wrenches, etc. tape measure utility knife and plenty of blades tool belt ladder 50-foot water hose pressure washer chainsaw weed whip a cargo van to carry it all Income Potential:$15,000 to $60,000 per year, going solo.There is a limit to the amount you can earn working alone. As you become more successful at negotiating with clients, you can eventually start hiring other people to do the work. The ultimate earning potential is unlimited.Target Market:One of the nicest parts about janitorial services is that you don't have to look for new customers week after week. After you secure a few accounts, you will have a fairly steady source of income that only changes infrequently. Convenience stores, restaurants, grocery stores, strip malls, and office complexes are all great places to start looking.Tips for Success: Always be professional and courteous. Everyone encounters stressful and undesirable working conditions once in a while. It will carry you a long way if you can remain respectful and calm when dealing with these situations. Don't let your clients walk all over you, but don't let them walk out on you! Janitorial services are very repetitive from day to day. Keep a mindset toward using your time more and more efficiently. Go the extra mile. Do what you can to go above and beyond your clients' expectations. This translates to job security and a better reputation in the industry. You should get your janitorial cleaning service bonded and insured. If you are not bonded and insured, your prospects for business are very limited. Training, Skills or Experience Needed:The best training is to have worked as a janitor for some time so you know what you're getting into. It is not easy work. Read a few books on how to start a janitorial service. No matter how much you already know, you are sure to find new information that will help you to be more successful.Schooling is not usually necessary, but you can earn better money and find more contracts if you learn to maintain HVAC or other common equipment. There are independent classes available for this type of training.

Commercial Cleaning and Janitorial Services

You've bought all your cleaning supplies and equipment, told everyone you know that you have started a cleaning business and now you are ready to start bidding on jobs and getting down to work. So your next step is to meet with potential clients and put together a bid for their cleaning services. But how do you know what to charge for cleaning your potential client's building?Start off by remembering that you are in business to make a profit and earn a living. Sometimes the tendency is to price our services low in order to get our foot in the door. Pricing your services too low may mean you will end up working for very little per hour. And more importantly, will have little left over to reinvest in the growth of your company. There are cleaning companies that charge more than others and have all the work they can handle and there are companies that have lower fees yet are struggling to find work! Don't sell yourself short or you will not be able to earn a living off your cleaning business.The rates for commercial cleaning vary widely depending upon the area you live. Hourly rates are anywhere from $15 to $40 per hour depending on the type of services that you provide, whether or not you're doing the work yourself, and your company's overhead and expenses. Monthly square footage rates could run anywhere from $.05 to $.20 per square foot depending on the type of building you are cleaning and the frequency of cleaning. You'll be able to bid a higher square footage price for medical facilities versus office buildings due to more specialized cleaning needs. You'll likely bid a lower square footage price for large buildings versus small buildings. For example, you may bid $.08 per square foot for a 50,000 square foot building versus $.12 per square foot for an 8,000 square foot building. You will most likely be charging your customers a monthly price and you will need to figure that price by estimating how long it will take to perform the services that your client has requested. The more productive you or your employees are, the higher the hourly production rate. If you're able to clean 3,500 square feet per hour, your profit will be higher than if you're only able to clean 2,500 square feet per hour, so adjust your price accordingly.It's also a good idea to find out what the "going rates" are in your area. A few phone calls to competitors may be necessary to get an idea of the basic charges in your area. Use a script when you call so you can compare apples to apples. So what do you say when you call? Try something like, "Hi, I have a small business office that I would like cleaned once a week. It is 3000 square feet and has two small restrooms. Can you give me a rough estimate of what you what you charge per month?" The person may or may not give you an estimate. Most contractors will insist on walking through the building, but it is worth a few phone calls so you have a ballpark figure on what cleaning companies in the area are charging.To estimate what you should charge for cleaning a building, start by doing a walk-through with the building owner or manager. Keep track of the following:* Frequency of cleaning (once a week, three times a week, five times a week). If frequency is one or two times per week, it's best to estimate your time and multiply by your hourly rate. If cleaning 3 or more times per week you can estimate your time by the square foot.* Overall square feet* Types of floor surfaces and square footage of each (carpet, vinyl flooring, ceramic tile)* Types of rooms - general office, break room, restrooms. Also note the number of toilets/stalls and fixtures in each restroom, as well as the types of restroom supplies used.* Any special considerations - heavy traffic areas, elevators, unusual requests, etc.* Make note of the specific services the client is seeking such as emptying trash, dusting, restroom cleaning, mopping and vacuuming.The following services are specialized services and you should bid them separately, and list a per-service charge on your bid:* Stripping and Waxing (.25¢ - .50¢ per square foot)* Buffing/Burnishing (.03¢ - .07¢ per square foot)* Machine Cleaning of Ceramic Tile floors (.12¢ - .21¢ per square foot)* Carpet Cleaning (.12¢ - .25¢ per square foot)* Carpet Spotting ($20 - $40 per hour)* Cleaning appliances (microwave, refrigerator) - $10 - $35 per appliance* Window Washing ($1.00 - $5.00 per pane)Make sure you take enough notes so you can put together a realistic price that is fair to the client and one in which you will make a profit. After your first meeting with the client, go back to your office look through your notes and decide what it will cost you to clean the building. You may have to consult a production cleaning rate chart to determine how long it will take you and your staff to clean the building. Once you have an idea of how long it will take to clean the building you can put your cost estimate together:* Estimate the time it will take by using a production cleaning rate chart or calculator. * Determine your labor cost for cleaning the building one time.* Determine your monthly labor cost to clean the building.* Estimate a monthly cost for supplies. This will be a fairly low figure, perhaps 1 or 2% of monthly sales.* Be sure to add in a profit margin!Add up the figures and you will come up with your monthly cost. If you have access to a bidding calculator you will be able to put in a series of numbers and come up with a price. A bidding calculator will also show what profit you can expect to make. It is also advisable to add a first time cleaning charge. This is usually an hourly rate of perhaps $20 - $25 an hour. The first time you go through a building it will take longer and you may find the previous cleaning service may have left dirt in cracks and crevices that you will have to clean the first time through.Once you have your price established, put your bid packet together. Your bid packet should specify what you are responsible for and what the client is responsible for (buying their own trash can liners, restrooms supplies, etc.). It should also include the monthly charge for cleaning services, how long the agreement is for, and the procedure to cancel the contract if either party is unhappy.It is important to learn how to price your cleaning services so your customers know you are providing a professional service at a realistic price and so that you make a profit. After all, if you do not make a profit you won't stay in business very long!

Looking for a Quote For your Apartment Cleaning Services?

Have you ever decided to just pick up the phone and "wing-it" when cold calling for your cleaning business? How did it go? My guess is not so well...When making a sales call you only have about 10 seconds to grab your prospect's attention so your first impression has to be really strong. Having a prepared (and practiced) script is essential for your success.Practicing your script so it sounds natural is very important. Have you ever received a call from a telemarketer whom you could tell was reading from a script? That's NOT the kind of script we want to use here. Practice with friends or family members so you can have them play the role of the prospect. You want to have enough flexibility in the script so if the conversation suddenly changes, you're flexible enough to go with the flow.When writing your script, be sure to write the way you talk, and be sure to get to the point quickly. Don't waste time by saying something like, "how are you today"? This gives them a chance to end the call before it's even started. Greet your prospect by name, and then say, "My name is [John Jones], and I'm with [company name]." Next you want to have a simple, yet strong sentence that explains what you do. For example, "I work with building owners and managers who have cleaning issues that they've never been able to resolve." You need to be creative here -- don't say the same thing everyone else says. Use phrases that help to establish you as an expert. Maybe something like, "we specialize in...", or "we're known for...".Use your niche market to your advantage. If you're calling a bank, let them know that you also work with other banks in the area. This lets your prospect know that you're familiar with their type of business. Plus it's likely that they know other bankers in town so if you can drop a name, this is a good time to do it.Next you want to describe your service stating benefits, not features. At this point in the conversation, they don't care that you're bonded and insured, but they probably do care that you specialize in marble floor care if they have a beautiful new marble floor. They're also interested in how you can save them money so think about specific ways you're able to save them money.The goal of the phone call should be to make an appointment with the prospect. You're not trying to make a sale just yet. So end the call by setting up a time to meet. Ask them for 10 - 15 minutes of their time, and give them a couple choices. Don't simply end the call by saying something like, "Can we meet next week to discuss this?" Instead say, "Would next Tuesday at 10 a.m. be a good time to meet?"When you have the meeting scheduled, be sure to confirm the prospect's name, title, phone number and address, and make sure they have your contact information as well. To recap, here's what you need for your cold-calling script:· Greeting. "Hello Mr. Jones. My name is ______, and I'm with _______."· Say what you do. "I work with building owners and managers who have cleaning issues that they've never been able to resolve."· State your benefits. "We specialize in servicing banks with high-end surfaces like granite flooring and countertops. ABC Bank recently had us restore their granite floor and was very pleased with the results."· Ask for a meeting. "I would like to meet with you for about 15 minutes to discuss what we can do for your company. Would next Tuesday at 10 a.m. be a good time to meet?"· Confirm contact information and be sure to write the appointment on your calendar!